The game of golf enjoys popular participation throughout the civilized world and accessories which allow more convenient accomplishment of the sport are generally in great demand. One particular problem frequently encountered in the sport is the retrieval of golf balls from muddy or other poorly accessible regions where they have been errantly directed. Typically, the golfer is ill prepared to conveniently recover such errantly directed balls, particularly those which have found their way to the bottom of streams or ponds. Many devices have been prepared to retrieve said errant balls but few, if any, have enjoyed widespread acceptance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,306,650 describes a device for retrieving golf balls from tall grass, water or other obstacles and includes a plurality of flexible rake tines extending from a base, much as fingers spread from the palm of a hand, wherein the tines can be compressed together to form a golf ball sized basket for retrieving a golf ball or extended to form a rake. Such apparatus can only retrieve a single ball at a time, requires patient dexterity on the part of the operation, and is of limited utility for retrieving balls from murky waters where lack of clear visibility of the ball stymies effective retrieval.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,374 describes a golf ball retrieving device comprising two parallel swinging hooks which act together to retain a single ball placed therebetween. Again, as with the aforediscussed device, the apparatus requires significant dexterity on the part of the operator, is difficult to control and utilize in murky water and thus is of limited utility to the golfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,463 discloses a golf ball retriever in the form of a rake with straight tines having connecting adjacent legs extending perpendicularly from an upper support bar acting to engage balls for retrieval. Such device works better than the previously discussed apparatus but does not adequately retrieve the balls, particularly those which are embedded in the mud or silt of the water barrier.
None of the aforesaid devices enjoys widespread use and each has multiple disadvantages to the golfer.